Needles Route
Needles Route is an 11-mile trail in Boise National Forest, Idaho. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, ATV and e-bikes.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Boise National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 44.6560° N, 115.8378° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 44.7552° N, 115.8193° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 6 segments.
The trail
| Length | 11 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 115004 |
| Forest | Boise National Forest (unit 0402) |
| States | Idaho |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
| Motorcycle | Allowed year-round |
| ATV | Allowed year-round |
| E-bikes | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Trailheads
Needles Route Trailhead No season published | under 0.1 mi |
South Fork Gold Fork Trailhead No season published | 0.1 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedDeep South 2026 Rx
11 mi from the trail midpoint · 50 acres
- PrescribedGreat Scott Rx
13 mi from the trail midpoint · 15 acres
- PrescribedBoulder Cop Ton Rx 2026
15 mi from the trail midpoint · 10 acres
- PrescribedDonner Ton 2026 Rx
15 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Guidebooks for Idaho
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Needles Route?
The Forest Service records 11 miles under this name in Boise National Forest, the sum of 6 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Needles Route?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, ATV and e-bikes are allowed. The trail is open to at least one motorized use.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Needles Route start?
The line begins at 44.6560° N, 115.8378° W and ends at 44.7552° N, 115.8193° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Needles Route Trailhead, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Needles Route in a wilderness area?
No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Where can I camp near the Needles Route?
Kennally Creek (3.3 mi), Penny Springs Campground (4.4 mi) and South Fork Salmon River Campground (4.9 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 3 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Needles Route?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Needles Route?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Needles Route?
Boise National Forest, Forest Service unit 0402. The trail is in Idaho.
Is there a fire near the Needles Route?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Deep South 2026 Rx at 11 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 6 segments named Needles Route in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0402. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.